Pages

Monday, 23 April 2018

Qila - Forts Of Odisha #AToZChallenge

Odisha has some impressive forts with great historical significance that reflect glory and architectural grandeur. In Odia language, the word 'Gada' means 'Fort'.

Barabati Fort

Barabati Fort is located in Cuttack on the banks of the Mahanadi River. In the past, Cuttack was the capital of Odisha. Built by the Ganga dynasty in the 14th Century, Barabati Fort is the most famous fort of Odisha. King Narnupa Kesri built a stone-like structure around the river to save it
from the flood. King Anangbhima Dev III developed the Barabati fort. Many rulers rebuilt the fort.

Visitors can see the ruins of the
fort. War marks are visible on its walls. The fort provides a great view of Cuttack city.
Barabati Cricket Stadium is near
the fort. Also, the temple
dedicated to Goddess Cuttack Chandi is close by.

Raibania Fort

The Raibania fort complex is the largest
medieval fort of Baleswar district, Odisha. It was built during
the Buddhist period in Odisha and it is located in Lakshmannath, near
Jaleswar and near the Suvarnarekha River. Jaychandi, a popular picnic spot, is close by.

The Raibania fort was built during the Buddhist period in Odisha.
Langula Narasingha Deba I, king of the Ganga dynasty of Utkala from
1238 to 1264, built the fort after defeating Humayun Khan, thereby restricting
the entry of the Muslim forces into Odisha. The three-walled fortification interspersed by two consecutive moats is unparalleled in the history of
ancient and mediaeval forts and fortifications in India. As per H.K.Mahtab, "The fort of Raibania was a very large one, bigger than that of Barabati and
one of the greatest in India."

Chudanga Gada

Chudanga Gada is located in the village Baranga, near Bhuabenswar
and Cuttack. According to the Madala Panji, this fort was constructed
by
Lalatendu Kesari of the Kesari dynasty in the 12th century AD. It was
formerly known as Sarangagarh as the area
had several water bodies filled with lotus that is referred as
'Saranga' in Sanskrit.

Sisupalgarh

Sisupalgarh, situated near Bhubaneswar, dates to the 3rd-century BC- 4th century AD. It is the largest early historic
fortification in the country. This
defensive settlement had been established before the emergence of Mauryan Empire. Excavation in 1948 revealed this fortified township surrounded by a natural moat.

Jaugada

Jaugada is an ancient fort located near Brahmapur (Berhampur) and
Purshottampur of Ganjam. It is the second place in Odisha (first is
Dhauli) where Ashokan rock edicts associated to Kalinga have been found.

It is also known as Jatudurga (Lac fort). It is named so as the walls of the ancient fort were made of 'Jau'- Jau is the Odia word for 'Lacquer' i.e. 'Lac'. Some believe that the fort of Jaugada was
built by Duryodhana of Mahabharata fame.

Potagada

Potagada was built by Britishers in the 18th Century. Situated
close to River Rushikulya near Chatrapur and Brahmapur (Berhampur), the fort is surrounded by a moat. The remnants
of the majestic fort show the glorious
past of Ganjam. The picturesque geographical location is lovely.

Have you visited these Qilas in Odisha? Any more Qilas in Odisha
that can be added to this list? Please share in the comments below.I love Qilas as they reflect the glorious archaeological history of India. Forts attract me.I visited Jaugada and Potagada recently and loved the sites.

Post for my second #atozchallenge. Q for Qila. Qila means Fort.

My Theme is- "Odisha- The Soul of Incredible India".Odisha is a state in the eastern part of India. Have you visited Odisha and India?